Hi,
Just tought Hellcat needs to built with all the rised rivets and panel lines. Its big part of her character.
Been practising years of composites and finally bought a vacuum pump and that truly changed the game.
Now my planes are without bubbles and are light and stiff. My combat hellcat based on same drawings and is really lovely plane.
Low weight made my Brewster amazing plane to fly, super easy. With Dualsky FC151 it dampens the wind gusts and looks real good in air.
1/8 scale honeycomb Brewster weights only 1600grams/3,5lbs. So hoping this Hellcat will be around 5kg, 6kg(/12-14lbs) would be ok too. But fingers crossed this will be under 5kg. Main gear will be Robart with homebuilt struts and mabe tires also.
Fuse plug is already started and almost planked. Some details need to be done before lithoplate.
Prop reserved for this is solo 24inch 3-blade. Electric looks like to be only engine option to keep this light...

Tricolor scheme is much better and there is only handful f6f-5:s with tricolor based to my documents. So might do scale parts also for f6f-3.
F6f-5 painted to honor Vraciu could be nice option. Some pics from net, tricolor f6f-5:s..

Very interesting project JORO and I will look forward to your progress. Just FYI, all US Navy F6F-5 Hellcats were delivered from the factory in overall dark blue. By the time the -5 went into production the tri-color scheme was no longer in use. The only -5 Hellcats that you will ever see in tri-color camouflage are restored examples that are incorrectly painted to resemble -3 Hellcats. I like the dark blue but must admit that the very colorful drone Hellcats have a special appeal. Here are two of mine.

Hi Chad,
Truly admire your beautiful Hellcats! Been reading your threads with great interest.
Tri-color F6F-5 Hellcats is mentioned in Barrett Tillmans book Hellcat aces of World War 2.
Only drawings F6F-5's with tri-color what i have seen is White 25 flown by ace Bruce Williams. Not found yet any photos from White 25..
Still trying. There is many sources saying there was handfull tri-color 5's. I sent some pics from info.
Hellcats design is so interesting..
Chad have you seen this? :

That's interesting JORO. I have several dozen books on the Hellcat and the reference you posted by Tillman is the first time I have ever read about very early -5 Hellcats being painted in tri-color camo. Always good to learn something new! Regarding the 1/48 scale Hasegawa Hellcat I have that web site book marked as it is a superb reference for Hellcat details. I think that the gentleman's scale drawings are about the best you can find of the airplane as well and I used them as a reference when designing my 1/6th scale model which is still under construction. At any rate I think the Hellcat is a fantastic airplane with nearly perfect proportions for a model other than that short nose. I don't think I have ever seen a bad flying model of the Hellcat. My 1/8th scale version is among the best flying warbirds I have ever had. Very much looking forward to watching your progress JORO. It seems you have the necessary skills to create a truly spectacular model. Good luck!

Nice Chad!
Then your 1/6 scale will be great! Junpei Temma is master in scale models. His Bearcat and Wildcat drawings are same amazing level.
My combat Hellcat was also based to Temmas drawings like this one. Don't change a thing. It works!

Fuse plug shaping done a bit. Plug will be lithoplate covered like this 1/3,4 Brewster plug which is waiting gear to get it further.
This Hellcat plug will be F6F-5 (white 25) as you can see from pic already (small triangle part under wings).

Not much progress here. But got nice engine option almost free. OS 160 FX + tuned pipe. Very light and powerful. Tuned pipe gives FX nice softer sound i think.
And got old Barrett Tillman book, like it also a lot, the way he wants to get reader in to action and feel the deck with sounds and smell.. .

Its always motivating to know not talking by myself.
Started cutting wood for cowl plug today, maybe turning front parts of it in lathe tomorrow.
80 inch span is 1/6,4 scale so this will need a custom pilot too. Made my first plug and mold for finnish 1/8 pilot and liked the result.
It was also very nice to learn something new with shaping clay. And its nice marterial to put your hands to dirt. Therapy for mind.
So going to make also Hellcat 1/6,4 pilot plug and mold too.
Honeycomb in 1/8 brewster is only 36g/m2 kevlar+2mm honeycomb+20g/m2 carbon. Its very light and been proven to be strong enough.
No gelcoat. 1st day kevlar, 2nd day honeycomb. 3rd day inner carbon. Very slow way and lot of work but totally worth it.
This Hellcat will be same way.